Just moments ago, we launched a social media “hub” for Windows 7 on Windows.com in celebration of launch tomorrow. This hub is designed to highlight what our customers are saying about Windows 7. It does this by pulling content from all over the web (via tweets, blog posts, etc.) of people talking about Windows 7 and bringing it all to one central location so you can see what everyone is saying about Windows 7.

Note: To ensure the content and conversations we’re pulling from the web is relevant to Windows 7 (and of course appropriate), we moderate what gets put up there.

If you’re going to be tweeting (posting on Twitter) about Windows 7, I encourage you to use the following hashtags (if you don’t know what hashtags on Twitter are, click here):

• #Win7: Use this in place of “Windows 7” or add to the end of any tweet about Windows 7.
• #WinLive: Use this place of “Windows Live” or add to the end of any tweet about Windows Live.
• #WinWin7: For our several fun giveaways we have going for our Twitter followers (US only, employees are not eligible), tweets tagged with #winwin7 relate to the contests. See Contest Rules here.
• #win7tip: Use this in any tweet sharing a Windows 7 tip or trick.
• #igotWin7: Use this tag to share once you get a copy of Windows 7.
• #win7meetup: Use this tag when tweeting about the Launch Parties or Meetup initiatives.

We continue to look for ways to include our customers and highlight real conversations both during launch and long after GA. To learn more about how the social hub works check Marty Collins’ blog post here.

If you happened to be searching for “pizza” on Twitter Search yesterday or are following the @mswindows Twitter account, chances are you witnessed the kickoff of #WinWin7. The Windows Outreach Team kicked off 7 weeks of Windows 7 by sending 7 piping-hot pizzas to 7 lucky Twitter followers.

And it won’t stop there.

Throughout the next 7 weeks, @mswindows will be giving away prizes all based on the number 7 (for Windows 7). Winners must take part in the challenges and are encouraged to invite friends to join in on the fun which all culminates on launch day - October 22nd.

Make sure you’re following @mswindows and tell them Brandon sent you. Oh and watch for the official #WinWin7 hash tag too.

Speaking of the Windows Outreach Team, how about meeting the supporting cast? You may have seen them on some of your favorite blogs and forums and didn’t really know who they were. Let’s change that.

Jeff D, Cody G and Ron S, are a savvy team tasked with reaching out to users and creating a real resource within the communities on the Web.

Along with Josh T on the @mswindows account, these team members bring a wealth of knowledge (both consumer and even a bit on the “techy” side) to the table. Anywhere from gaming to watching your media across your home network, these guys have been there and tried out the fixes and know what works and what doesn’t. You can bet on them to offer advice and an open ear, not a sales pitch and a bottom line – oddly enough, none of them wanted to be a snake oil salesman growing up.

So, keep a lookout for the team on some of your favorite blogs and forums and feel free to say “hi” or just ask a question. They’ll be sure to help get you on the track to whatever it is you need.

If you have any questions for the Windows Outreach Team, just send a tweet to @mswindows. Or leave a comment here too of course.

NOTE: The Windows Outreach Team also runs the Windows Live Twitter account @windowslive too.

Are you using your blog to talk about using Windows and Windows Live? Do you want to get your post showcased on Microsoft websites? You should join The Clubhouse. The Clubhouse is a place that brings together people using their blogs to help others how to use the best parts of Windows and Windows Live.

How does The Clubhouse work?

You first need to apply to join The Clubhouse. There is a small review process in order to insure that there is a good fit for people applying and the rest of The Clubhouse.

Once you’re approved, you continue to write fantastic Windows and Windows Live content on your blog and use special tags that help identify what you’re writing about as it relates to either Windows or Windows Live. Your posts are brought into the Clubhouse via your RSS feed (having an RSS is a requirement to take part in The Clubhouse). Once you tag your post for The Clubhouse using the special tags, it gets pulled through your RSS feed into The Clubhouse.

In order to use the special tags needed to identify your contributions for The Clubhouse, you will need to add a new Tag Provider in Windows Live Writer. Right now, The Clubhouse has special tags for Windows Live and Windows Vista, with a set of special tags launching for Windows 7 later this month.

Once your post is published with the special tags – it appears within The Clubhouse where members of The Clubhouse rate one another’s contributions, so the top rated content can be showcased on Microsoft websites, newsletters, and even tweeted from @MSWindows and @windowslive. So it’s up to your peers to choose which content is good enough to get showcased.

So where is your content showcased?

After you get enough good votes inside The Clubhouse – depending on the type of post (Windows Vista or Windows Live) your stuff will show up on 1 of 2 Microsoft websites:

Explore Windows Live:

Discover Windows Vista:

Outside of the really cool opportunity to get your content from your blog showcased on Microsoft websites, The Clubhouse offers several other “perks”.

As you continue to write your own content – you will earn Club Points and Badges. When you earn a certain amount of Club Points, you get Badges. Each Badge you earn will appear next to any of your content showcased on Microsoft websites. You also can earn special-recognition Badges as well. These Badges are a great way for people reading your content to see how much you rock.

Because I am a Microsoft employee, for any of my content you will see this Badge:

If you blog quite a bit about using Windows and Windows Live – I suggest giving The Clubhouse a look and applying! It can be a great way to gain more exposure of your content!

A few days ago, I needed to edit a blog post that I didn’t publish using Windows Live Writer. I discovered that Windows Live Writer allows you to open any blog post on your blog that has been published – regardless of whether it was written and published with Windows Live Writer or not.

When I clicked “Open” in the Windows Live Writer toolbar, an options window appeared giving me several options to choose from.

I can open a blog post from Drafts, Recently Posted, and of course any of the blogs that I have configured in Windows Live Writer such as the Windows Experience Blog. When I clicked on “The Windows Experience Blog” option – I was given a listing of 5 of the most recent blog posts from the Windows Experience Blog. The default is to list 5 posts however you can choose to view more blog posts via a drop down menu. I was able to choose any blog post that had been published (via Windows Live Writer or not) from the Windows Experience Blog to edit and publish those edits.

The ability to open blog posts from blogs in Windows Live Writer exists today with the current non-Beta version of Windows Live Writer available at get.live.com as well as the current Beta of Windows Live Writer available at download.live.com.

If you haven’t already discovered this, thought it might be of some interest to my fellow bloggers.

• ActiveWin Windows Vista Infocenter
  
• Dell's Windows Vista Center
  
• Ed Bott's Windows Expertise
• Extended64.com
• ITsVISTA
  
• PROnetworks
• The Elder Geek on Windows Vista
  
• The Road to Know Where
• Vista4Beginners
• VistaRewired
• Windows Connected
  
• Windows-Now
  
• Windows Talk
  
• Windows Vista Forums
  
• Windows Vista Magazine